Author: Eoin Colfer
Series: W.A.R.P. #2
Publication: June 24th 2014 by Disney Hyperion
Genre: Young Adult ~ Science Fiction
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo
Cover Rating: 5/5
Overall Rating: 5/5
Review copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Young FBI agent Chevie Savano arrives back in modern-day London after a time-trip to the Victorian age, to find the present very different from the one she left. Europe is being run by a Fascist movement known as the Boxites, who control their territory through intimidation and terror. Chevie's memories come back to her in fragments, and just as she is learning about the WARP program from Professor Charles Smart, inventor of the time machine, he is killed by secret service police. Now they are after Chevie, too, but she escapes--into the past. She finds Riley, who is being pursued by futuristic soldiers, and saves him. Working together again, it is up to Chevie and Riley to find the enigmatic Colonel Clayton Box, who is intent on escalating his power, and stop him before he can launch missiles at the capitals of Europe.
"The old maxim that every action has a reaction is true, but when you start messing with time travel, that reaction could take place in a whole different universe." —Professor Charles Smart
Let me get straight to the point and say that The Hangman's Revolution was brilliant. Sure, I think every book I read by Eoin Colfer in the past was pretty brilliant too, but this one... it was simply fantastic. One of Colfer's best books so far!
This book takes us back to modern-day London after the events of the last book. Only now everything has changed. Europe is taken over by a movement called the Boxite Empire and even Chevie doesn't realize anything has changed, except for a little voice inside her head and her memories that come back slowly but surely. After Charles Smart is again killed, this time by secret service police called the Thundercats, Chevie escapes back to Victorian London to find Riley.
I was so glad that Chevie and Riley got reunited. They're just so great together as a team. Riley has his street smarts from living in Victorian London his whole life and Chevie is an FBI agent who can kick some serious ass. I was feeling a little sorry for Riley in some of the moments where he thought back about Albert Garrick and how scared he's still of him. I just can't help but wonder if Garrick will come back somehow... and knowing Eoin Colfer, he might just do.
There were times when there wasn't much involvement of both Chevie or Riley but another character that plays a bigger role this time was in it again and I couldn't be more excited about the turn of events Colfer had in mind for him. Otto Malarkey, people! Otherwise known as King Otto of the Battering Rams. He's my favorite character by far. Not only because he's simply awesome but also because he was in Airman. And let me just say, I can't tell you how many Airman references I have seen in this book. It was all pretty exciting for me because I'm such a huge fan of that book and I just want to bow down to Colfer for incorperating some hints to it.
And then there were the Thundercats, Clover Vallicose and Lunka Witmeyer (gotta love those names); Boxite secret service agents. They were quite the pair of characters and yet again Colfer had something very special in mind for them both. I had never seen it coming actually. Especially not the thing with Lunka and Otto. Consider me very surprised. But again it shows how clever Colfer is in creating his stories. I loved it!
And as always, Colfer has a knack for writing such amazing action scenes. Think... explosions, tanks and guns in Victorian London. Just... wow!
Overall, The Hangman's Revolution was in my opinion a fantastic second book in the W.A.R.P. series. Chevie and Riley may not be able to replace Holly and Artemis completely but they're definitely very epic in their own way. Again I say, Colfer is a brilliant writer. His writing style, the way he tells the story, the mind blowing action and not to forget: the memorable characters, both heroes and villains. He does it all. In this book it was just the same and I must admit that I thought The Hangman's Revolution was an ever better book than the first one, The Reluctant Assassin. I can't wait where things are going to go next!
Favorite Quotes:
Garrick was the devil, thought Riley, as he thrashed and pulled for the surface. And the devil can never be banished so long as one soul fears him.
"A catch-up, at least. I like your cloak. The Great Savano, eh?"
"Do you approve of the moniker?"
"I am flattered, kid."
"I was considering a savage Injun costume."
"I am less flattered."
Malarkey shades his eyes against the nonexistent glare while he studied the fissure the RPG had put in the near side of the stone strut.
"You botched it, Ramlet. You shoot like a..."
Chevie was not in the mood for stereotyping. "Like a what, Otto?"
Witmeyer found herself in exactly the same mood. "Yes, he shoots like a what, darling?"
Malarkey had not gotten to be king for so long by being slow on the uptake. "Like a novice, my sweet. Like a total novice."
Chevie spoke to the planks. "You don't understand, kid. The future you remember: London city full of tourists, the FBI, Queen Elizabeth—that's all gone."
"Not Harry Potter too?" said Riley, horrified.
About the Author:
Eoin Colfer (pronounced Owen) was born in Wexford on the South-East coast of Ireland in 1965, where he and his four brothers were brought up by his father (an elementary school teacher, historian and artist of note) and mother (a drama teacher). He first developed an interest in writing in primary (elementary) school with gripping Viking stories inspired by history he was learning in school at the time!
After leaving school he got his degree from Dublin university and qualified as a primary school teacher, returning to work in Wexford. He married in 1991 and he and his wife spent about 4 years between 1992 and 1996 working in Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Italy. His first book, Benny and Omar, was published in 1998, based on his experiences in Tunisia; it has since been translated into many languages. A sequel followed in 1999, followed by some other books (see below). Then in 2001 the first Artemis Fowl book was published and he was able to resign from teaching and concentrate fully on writing.
He says, “I will keep writing until people stop reading or I run out of ideas. Hopefully neither of these will happen anytime soon. He lives in Ireland with his wife and two children.
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